Tuesday, July 26, 2011

10:56 AM

The candidates in western Wisconsin's 10th Senate District clashed on recalls, the budget and collective bargaining in their first debate, with the incumbent saying she's fighting special interests and her opponent challenging her on education cuts.

GOP Sen. Sheila Harsdorf and teacher Shelly Moore met last night in a debate organized by Patch.com in Hudson. Three other forums are scheduled before the Aug. 9 election -- one of six special recall elections involving incumbent Republicans.

Moore argued recalls are for when citizens feel elected officials are no longer listening to them. She said she urged others to contact Harsdorf before launching a recall petition.

"When they said, 'recall, recall, recall' I said 'no,'" Moore said. "But when their voices continued to not be heard ... that's when the recall petitions started."

Harsdorf countered she wasn't facing recall because she did anything wrong, but for standing up to special interests.

"I did exactly what I said I would do," Harsdorf said. "And that is balance the state budget, get spending in line with the taxpayer's ability to pay and get our fiscal house in order."

Moore said collective bargaining wasn't the only issue driving her. She said a multitude of issues in the budget repair bill has spurred her to become involved.

"It's an important issue, but it is one of many important things that are affecting this state," Moore said. "And to try to simplify the reason we are sitting here down to that one issue is downright offensive to the 23,000 people who signed those papers."